Banana Ball prepares to head to Hawai’i during 2027 season

HONOLULU – It was only a matter of time before the Aloha Spirit crossed over with the baseball league taking the world by storm.

The Banana Ball Championship League revealed on Thursday that the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa would host a two-game series between the Loco Beach Coconuts and Party Animals at the iconic Les Murakami Stadium during the 2027 tour.

The pair of games will take place on April 30 and May 1, providing local fans with the rare opportunity to be live and in-person to see “Banana Ball” in the islands.

“Banana Ball has been growing tremendously fast,” Hawai’i athletics director Matt Elliott said during the school’s announcement on Thursday. “The popularity is incredible and as you’ve seen across the country, it’s their objective to play in places that are special, places that are iconic, and that’s what Les Murakami [Stadium] is.”

The Coconuts will head to Hawai’i with a pair of special connections to the islands. Shane Victorino, a Maui native and multi-time World Series champion, is the coach for the Coconuts and former Rainbow Warrior standout Andy Archer is featured on the roster for Loco Beach.

Kaupapa Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to Native Hawaiian sustainability, community resilience and sports and regenerative tourism partnerships, played a large role in bringing “Banana Ball” to Hawai’i after Victorino reached out to Kaupapa interim lead Lahela Aiwohi, a fellow Maui native.

“[Victorino] loves being a part of the Banana Ball league and just wanted to bring it home,” Aiwohi said. “If you didn’t catch the selection announcement, [the Hawai’i venue reveal] probably got the biggest cheers from those that attended.”

Tickets for the event will be sold and distributed through a lottery system on BananaBall.com at prices of $35 for standard tickets and $125 for Meet and Greet tickets. The Ticket Lottery List went live immediately following the announcement that the Coconuts and Party Animals would be heading to the islands and will remain open until October 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST (5:59 p.m. HST).